Pedro Pascal may be heading back to a galaxy far, far away in Lucasfilm’s The Mandalorian and Grogu (2026), but before that, he’s carving out an entirely different legacy much closer to home. The actor has now effectively been positioned as the Marvel Cinematic Universe’s next Tony Stark, ushering in a fresh era for the franchise as it barrels toward Avengers: Doomsday (2026).
The shift comes at a pivotal moment for Marvel Studios. In 2024, Marvel Studios President Kevin Feige confirmed that Avengers 5, originally titled Avengers: The Kang Dynasty, would be retitled Avengers: Doomsday. The change also signaled a dramatic creative pivot: Jonathan Majors’ Kang the Conqueror was replaced by Doctor Doom, now played by longtime MCU cornerstone Robert Downey Jr.
The decision to recast Downey Jr. as the saga’s central villain sparked a divided response among fans, many of whom closely associate the actor with Tony Stark.
Reinforcing the sense of a reset, Anthony and Joe Russo are back in the director’s chairs. The filmmakers behind Avengers: Infinity War (2018) and Avengers: Endgame (2019) are steering both Avengers: Doomsday and Avengers: Secret Wars (2027).
According to the creative team, the pair of films represents a fresh chapter for the MCU, one that is widely expected to usher in the Mutant Saga. The return of the historic X-Men characters from the 20th Century Fox (now Studios) era in Doomsday underscores that direction.
Patrick Stewart’s Charles Xavier/Professor X and James Marsden’s Scott Summers/Cyclops headline the X-Men contingent, joining an ensemble that stretches across nearly every corner of the franchise. Chris Hemsworth’s Thor is back, alongside members of the Fantastic Four and Thunderbolts teams. It’s a massive roster, though Marvel has kept specific story details under wraps.
Early reports suggest Doctor Doom is seeking equilibrium in the wake of Steve Rogers’ (Chris Evans) time-travel decisions at the end of Endgame. Along the way, Doom is said to cross paths with characters including Thor and Loki (Tom Hiddleston). How that storyline feeds directly into Secret Wars remains unclear, but all signs point to a climactic showdown that could spell the end of the Multiverse as audiences know it.
Amid the swirl of casting headlines and multiversal stakes, one development stands out: Robert Downey Jr.’s return not as a hero but as the primary antagonist of this saga. It’s a bold move that asks audiences to recalibrate their emotional connection to an actor whose face has defined the franchise since 2008.
That recalibration leaves a vacuum. When Avengers: Endgame closed Tony Stark’s arc, the MCU didn’t just lose a founding Avenger; it lost its central mind. From Iron Man onward, Stark’s tech, personality, and moral evolution anchored more than a decade of storytelling. His sacrifice marked the end of an era.
Now, Marvel appears ready to fill that void.
According to new insights from the official art book for The Fantastic Four: First Steps (2025), Pedro Pascal’s Reed Richards is being positioned as the franchise’s next brilliant architect.
Concept illustrator Joshua Viers recently opened up about designing the FantastiCar for Reed, collaborating with Concept Vehicle Designer Joe Hiura under production designer Kasra Farahani. The goal, he explained, was to reflect Reed’s wealth and intellect in the vehicle itself.
“It was so satisfying to illustrate a design made of strong choices, because this is the car of a rich genius inventor,” Viers said, via The Direct.
That description inevitably conjures Stark. Viers acknowledged as much.
“I think of Reed Richards as very much a Tony Stark type, but coming from a different world with different sensibilities–and what is really cool about the FantastiCar is that this isn’t just another cool car for Tony Stark,” Viers continued. “This is coming from another universe, and this utopian version of the 1960s. Reed definitely has his own style and aesthetic–but this is really Kasra’s vision. Kasra has the sensibilities of a wealthy, brilliant inventor–he’s our Mister Fantastic.”
Rather than sidestepping comparisons, Marvel is leaning into them, reframing Reed as a different expression of the genius-inventor archetype. Where Stark was rooted in contemporary geopolitics and Silicon Valley swagger, Reed’s world in First Steps is steeped in a retro-futuristic 1960s optimism.
Directed by Matt Shakman, The Fantastic Four: First Steps stars Pedro Pascal as Reed Richards/Mister Fantastic, Vanessa Kirby as Sue Storm/Invisible Woman, Joseph Quinn as Johnny Storm/Human Torch, and Ebon Moss-Bachrach as Ben Grimm/Thing. The reboot launched with an estimated $218 million worldwide, including a $118 million domestic opening weekend.
Ultimately, the film grossed roughly $521–522 million globally against a reported production budget north of $200 million. That total made it the highest-grossing Marvel film of 2025, outperforming Captain America: Brave New World (2025) and Thunderbolts* (2025), though it landed in the middle tier of the MCU’s all-time box office rankings.
While its momentum tapered after opening weekend, its stylized 1960s aesthetic and ensemble cast drew praise.
As Avengers: Doomsday approaches its December 18, 2026, release date, Marvel has begun to tease what’s ahead with four brief previews. A full trailer has yet to debut, though speculation suggests the first proper look could be attached to Spider-Man: Brand New Day (2026), which brings Tom Holland back as the web-slinger.
In the meantime, Marvel’s future seems to hinge on two familiar faces in radically different roles: Robert Downey Jr. as its looming villain and Pedro Pascal as its new intellectual centerpiece. If Reed Richards is indeed stepping into the space once occupied by Tony Stark, the MCU’s next phase may be less about replacing the past and more about redefining what its leading genius looks like.
Avengers: Doomsday hits theaters December 18, 2026.
How do you feel about Pedro Pascal’s Reed Richards becoming the MCU’s new Tony Stark? Let us know in the comments down below!
